D87 has misplaced spending priorities

In the May 28 edition of the Daily Herald, there is an article titled "District 87 decides to fund boys co-op swim teams." The article states: "Sports programs cost money, as parents of swimmers at Glenbard High School District 87 have found. They've had to pay their own way to rent pools, get into tournaments, buy equipment and compensate coaches."

These parents have been paying about $750 annually so their children could compete in swimming. The school board has now decided to finance more of the swim teams' costs although parents will still have to pay $150 - plus each participant is supposed to raise an additional $150 to pay for the cost of this program.

Yet, according to the D87 website, the D87 school board doled out a staggering $1.123 million in pension spikes (referred to as "retirement enhancements" by educators) for their teachers and administrators during this past school year.

The article goes on to state that it costs about $60,000 for these swim teams. Based on this number, that $1.123 million could have financed these swim teams for 18 years.

Also, numerous teachers received pension spikes well over the state mandated 6 percent spike. One educator alone received a 50 percent pension spike - this one pension spike alone could have paid for the swim teams for one year.

And, obviously, pension spiking has been going on for almost two decades in D87. An analysis of the D87 retirees shows that of the 566 retirees, 117 (21 percent) are already receiving $100K+ pensions; in total more than half (58 percent) are getting $80K+ pensions.

It is appalling that school districts in this area continue this absurd practice of pension spiking while sacrificing students' needs and wasting taxpayers' money.

Ken Hofrichter

Elk Grove Village